New Marvelous Liars lineup hits 33 Golden Street Friday

Nick Johns is one of the best rock songwriters this area has ever produced, and that's saying a lot. He's always had good bands, too, first in Gone for Good and now with Marvelous Liars — who sound like what would happen if the ghost of Jim Morrison conducted a helmet-on-helmet tackling drill between Queens of the Stone Age and Weezer.

For a lot of understandable and sometimes tragic reasons in terms of musicians and the cycle of life, there's been personnel turnover over the years — through which Johns has remained cheerful and e'er-productive. What's cool and scary-good is that he's segued from his time-honored power trio format into a quartet scenario, and methinks the chemistry and chops of this latest Liars lineup will be Johns' best band ever.

In addition to vocalist/guitarist Johns are drummer Ben LaRose and bassist Nick Cancelmo and now the estimable Matt Hamilton — a very fine singer/guitarist/songwriter who will also continue to head his own very fine Motion Radio.

See Marvelous Liars and hear new and old tuneage Friday at 33 Golden Street in New London.